Intravenous valve assembly

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to devices for administering intravenous injections of liquids such as drugs, anesthetics or transfusion liquids. The device includes a valve body having a holder for an injection needle. The holder has an outlet passage which communicates with the needle. A nonreturn valve is arranged in the valve body. A valve operating plunger has a portion projecting from the body to enable the valve to be opened by operation of the plunger. The plunger has an inlet passage through which liquid to be injected can pass from a syringe into the valve body and thence pass the nonreturn valve to the outlet passage.

O Unlted States Patent 11113,570,.484 72 Inventors Peter Leslie Steer1,383,209 6/1921 lftiger 251/1491; London; 1,859,018 5/1932 Bedford....251/1496 Paul Hex Venn, Eastbourne, England 2,538,662 1/1951 Abbott128/214 [21] Appl. No. 754,064 2,771,878 11/1956 Folland et al. 128/214[22] Filed Aug. 20,1968 2,776,849 l/l957 Homuth 251/1496 [45] PatentedMar. 16,1971 2,999,499 9/1961 Willet..... 128/214 [73] Assignee EschmannBros. & Walsh Limited 3,064,648 11/1962 Bujan 128/214 Pnomy 7 PrimaryExaminer-Dalton L. Truluck 39,891 Att0rneyW1ll1am R. Liberman [54]INTRAVENOUS VALVE ASSEMBLY 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs. [52] U 8 Cl 128/2l4ABSTRACT: The invention il'elates to dheVICCS for admlmstere eintravenous i j ti f Sue as d g th ti 141/3021 251/1496 128/221 251/347128/274 or transfusion liquids. The device includes a valve body havingClo e e e e e e e e e e e e s I e e e e e e e a h ld f an i j ti dl Th hld h an tl t ofseal'ch passage communicates the needle A nonretum 218(NV), 274; 251/1495, valve is arranged in the valve body. A valveoperating plunger 141/291, 296, 302 has a portion pro ecting from thebody to enable the valve to be opened by operation of the plunger. Theplunger has an [56] References Cited inlet passage through which liquidto be injected can pass from UNITED STATES PATENTS a syrmge into thevalve body and thence pass the nonretum 1,363,128 12/1920 Kitaoka128/218 valve to the outlet passage.

INTRAVENOUS VALVE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is convenientto leave an indwelling needle in the vein of the patient so as to avoidrepeated vein punctures. In order to introduce a needle into a vein, itis necessary to aspirate blood before giving the injection to make surethat the needle has been correctly located in a vein and not incorrectlylocated in the surrounding tissues. The anesthetist requires to seeblood passing up above the hub of the syringe to indicate that the veinhas been punctured. Where such repeated injections are required, thesyringe is removed after the first injection, but is is convenient toleave the needle assembly in position on the patient. It is an object ofthe invention to provide a convenient needle assembly for this purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS .FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of adevice for administering intravenous injection to a patient; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same device.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention provides a devicefor administering intravenous injections which comprises a valve bodyhaving a holder which is arranged to receive an injection needle and hasan outlet passage which communicates with the needle, a nonreturii valvewithin the body, and a valve operating plunger having a portionprojecting from the body so that operation of the plunger will open thevalve. The plunger has an inlet passage through which liquid to beinjected can pass from a syringe into the valve body and thence pass thenonreturn valve to the outlet passage.

The administration device illustrated in the drawings comprises a valvebody 1 with the administration device illustrated in the drawingscomprises a valve body I which is of generally cylindrical shape and ismade of plastics material. The body 1 has integral wings which enablethe valve body to be attached to a patient. The wings can be secured tothe patient by strapping, or preferably, have on the surface intended tocontact the patient a coating of a self-adhesive material. If desired,the wings can be replaced by an integral attachment disc.

One end of the valve body 1 receives a needle holder or hub 3 which isattached to an injection needle (not shown) which can be inserted in thevein of a patient. The needle holder or hub has an outlet passage 4through which liquid can pass to the needle and thence to the patienLTheother end of the valve body contains a plunger 5 which is also ofplastics material and has an inlet passage 6 through which an injectionliquid can pass from a syringe. The outer end of the plunger 5 is ofsmaller diameter than the main portion of the plunger inside the valvebody. The shoulder formed between the two portions of the plungerengages an abutment 7 inside the valve body so that the plunger cannotfall out of the body. The inner end of the inlet passage 6 of theplunger opens into a V-shaped recess 8 extending transversely of theplunger.

The inner recessed end of the plunger 5 is adjacent a rubber valve body9. A coil spring 10 bears between the valve body 9 and the needle holder3 to hold the valve member in a closed position against a valve seating11 and, at the same time, to hold the plunger 5 against the abutment 7.

When it is desiredto administer an injection liquid to a patient theoutlet end of a syringe is engaged with a locating portion 12 of thevalve body. The pressure of the outlet end of the syringe against theouter end of the plunger 5 will cause aspiration of the blood of thepatient if the needle is correctly located in the vein. The pressure ofthe syringe on the plunger will also displace the valve member 9 fromits seating 11 and the liquid can therefore be forced from the syringethrough the inlet passage 6, past the outside of the valve member 9 andout through the outlet passage 4.

As the device is conveniently made of plastics material it is a disosable unit epeated in ections can be made without it being necessary toremove the needle assembly.

We claim:

1. A device for administering injection of fluid into and withdrawalthereof from a patient, said device comprising an elongated hollow bodyapertured at both ends thereof, a hollow needle holder at one end of thebody and a fluid receptacle engagement at the other end of said body, avalve seat within the body, a movable valve member within the body, alongitudinally apertured plunger located within the body and limitedlymovable longitudinally therewithin, spring means within the body betweenthe one endthereof and the valve member urging the valve member normallyagainst the valve seat and the inner end of the plunger thereby to closeoff communication through the device, the outer end of the plunger beingengageable by a fluid receptacle from the other end of the body whereininward movement of the plunger under the influence of the fluidexpressed from the engaged receptacle against the normal biasing of thespring within the body unseats the valve thereby to open communicationthrough the valve body in both directions selectively from and to thefluid receptacle.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the valve body, between the valvemember seat and the said other end, is provided with an inwardlydirected shoulder to limit longitudinal movement of the plunger withinthe body against the shoulder in a rearward direction under the normalbiasing of the spring and against the valve member to the limit ofcompression of the spring means under positive forward movement of theplunger, the fluid receptacle engaging end of the plunger normallyextending rearwardly of the body past the shoulder and being readilyaccessible for engagement by a movement controlling receptacle.

1. A device for administering injection of fluid into and withdrawalthereof from a patient, said device comprising an elongated hollow bodyapertured at both ends thereof, a hollow needle holder at one end of thebody and a fluid receptacle engagement at the other end of said body, avalve seat within the body, a movable valve member within the body, alongitudinally apertured plunger located within the body and limitedlymovable longitudinally therewithin, spring means within the body betweenthe one end thereof and the valve member urging the valve membernormally against the valve seat and the inner end of the plunger therebyto close off communication through the device, the outer end of theplunger being engageable by a fluid receptacle from the other end of thebody wherein inward movement of the plunger under the influence of thefluid expressed from the engaged receptacle against the normal biasingof the spring within the body unseats the valve thereby to opencommunication through the valve body in both directions selectively fromand to the fluid receptacle.
 2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the valvebody, between the valve member seat and the said other end, is providedwith an inwardly directed shoulder to limit longitudinal movement of theplunger within the body against the shoulder in a rearward directionunder the normal biasing of the spring and against the valve member tothe limit of compression of the spring means under positive forwardmovement of the plunger, the fluid receptacle engaging end of theplunger normally extending rearwardly of the body past the shoulder andbeing readily accessible for engagement by a movement controllingreceptacle.